Sunday, October 31, 2010

Robert Plant brought his Band Of Joy and the Oriana Choir to London last night (October 29) for a special performance at the Radio 2 Electric Proms which included Led Zeppelin classic ‘Rock & Roll’.

The legendary singer played six songs from his recent album of the same name at the Camden Roundhouse, the moniker of which he is also using for his current touring band which includes veteran guitarist Buddy Miller. Band Of Joy is also the name of a band he was once in with deceased Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.

Announcing his arrival, Plant paid tribute to Richard Thompson, frontman of 60s folk rockers Fairport Convention, as he launched into a cover of 1978 track ‘House Of Cards’, which also features on Plant’s new LP.

“It is great to be in this building,” he told the crowd. "I think I have been here before but then I think I’ve been to a lot of places before. I remember early performances from the Fairport Convention here. He is not with us tonight but his song is. This is off our new album.”

Although much of his set concentrated on country blues, the singer also took time out to perform a series of Zeppelin tracks including ‘Tangerine’ and ‘Gallows Pole’ and a blues-infused version of ‘Rock & Roll’ which brought huge cheers from the crowd.

At one point the singer also took a back seat while members of his band took turns to on vocal duties for three tracks – ‘Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go’, 'Satisfied' and ‘Move Up’ before he honoured late singer Townes Van Zandt with his cover of ‘Harm's Swift Way’

“All these adventures, there are so many new things to find and so many songs and peaks to discover,” he told the audience. "Townes Van Zandt is one of the highest peaks you could ever reach. This is one of the last songs he ever wrote.”

The singer then wrapped up his show by bringing The London Oriana Choir on for ’12 Gates To The City’ and ‘I Bid You Goodnight’. "I have finally got my way after many thousands of years," he said of the latter. "I always said why not finish with this song and we never did.”